Alex and Steve
We would race our horses through the woods. “Hey Alex!” She smiled, turning in her saddle to face him. He held the reigns of his stallion proudly, like a king perched on his throne. She spared a glance at her own horse. He was nuzzling the ground gently, searching for sugar lumps that might have fallen in the grass. Lazy animal, ''she thought. “Want to race to Outlook Mountain?” her companion asked. “I think it’s only fair to warn you, Blaze and I will definitely win.” Alex laughed, her horse raising his head with interest. “That sounds like a challenge,” she smirked, “one that Fury and myself would be glad to take on.” “Then what are you waiting for? Come on!” With a flick of his wrist, both he and his horse started galloping towards the mountain. Alex laughed. “Cheater!” she yelled, following him. 'Throw spare bones at howling wolves.' “Steve! I think this wolf likes me!” He chuckled, glancing at the canine licking her face. “Go ahead and give him a bone then. Notch knows we need more protection these days.” She smiled at him, drawing out a bone. Dangling the bone in front of the wolf’s face, she watched as it leapt up. While the Wolf was distracted, she whipped out a collar and tied it quickly. Success! Her new pet rolled onto its back and barked. Steve, who had watched all of this with a twinkle in his eye, smiled. “So... what are you going to name it? Steve?” She rolled his eyes. “No, of course not. I already have a Steve. I’m going to call him... Stephen.” She paused, rolling her eyes again at Steve’s expression. “And what about your wolf?” she asked, gesturing towards the wolf at his feet. “Are you going to name her Alex?” “Nah, Alexis suits her more.” 'Shoot arrows ‘til the moon rose high.' “Another round, then?” Alex exhaled deeply, shaking her head. “You won,” she said between breaths, “fair and square.” He laughed icily. “You don’t really think that. You think I cheat.” “No, no! It’s just... you always win.” She glanced sadly at her bow. The wood was old and splintered. The string was frayed, close to tearing. Her arrows were worn down. The red wool on the other side of the field was ringed with blue arrows, while the red ones all landed true. He sighed. He ''did always win. “You know what? What if we tried to shoot at the moon? Who would win then?” To prove his point, he pulled back the string and fired. Alex watched in awe as the projectile shot gracefully through the air. She barely noticed that its descent was angled towards her. “Squid guts!” she exclaimed, leaping to the side. “You almost killed me!” Use our elytras to glide. She shivered, the cold mountain air raising goosebumps on her skin. “Are you sure this is safe?” she asked for what must have been the hundredth time. “Yes, yes! I’ve done it heaps!” He adjusted the elytra on his back. “Want me to go through the instructions again?” She gulped, shaking her head. “I must have them permanently etched into my brain by now.” “Good. Then let’s go. Remember, don’t fight the wind!” With that, he was gone. “Steve!” she cried, running to where he disappeared. Suddenly, he shot up from the side of the mountain, fingers beckoning. With a scream, she leapt off. The wind caught in her elytra, raising her. First all she could feel was the air pushing her in every direction. Then it evened out. She laughed, for the first time in her life completely free. Now we lie awake in our own homes. She woke up screaming again. With shaking fingers, she reached out and clutched at the old photo frame, bringing it closer for inspection. Giving a strangled cry, she dropped it on the blankets beside her. This was routine for her. Her dreams were plagued with nightmares of him. There was nothing else she could do upon consciousness than confirm that her worst fears were not real. She would never forget him, no matter how many tears she lost over him. She picked up the photograph again, taking in each of his features. His blue eyes, his chiseled jawline, his geeky haircut. She would never forget. She could never forget. Rolling over, she closed her eyes, her dream replaying behind her eyelids. All of her memories of him played like a slideshow in her mind. At first, he was clear. But as she progressed closer and closer to the present, he faded until he was no longer there. He was never there. She felt like something was missing from her past, but she never knew what was there in the first place. Inevitable. She would forget about him soon enough. But as long as these nightmares kept her up at night, and as long as she recognised the man she loved in his photo, he would always be with her. Live our lives out all alone. Every day, she would mine. She would mine untill her arms grew tired, and then more. Mining was in her blood. It was something she just had to do. At least, that’s what she told herself. It was not, she thought crossly, that she felt closer to him when she mined. The sun was setting outside, so she heaved her iron pickaxe onto her shoulder and started climbing up the stairs. At one particular stone block, though, she just stood at stared. She had the strange urge to mine that one block. “Okay, then,” she aloud, to no one and herself. “I still have time. Besides, I have torches and a spare bed.” With sudden confidence, she lashed out at the stone block, destroying it in one strike. The dull blue glow emitted from the block behind caught her attention. Diamonds! “Steve! Look! Diamo-” She fell silent. Never again would she say those words. Hallucinate each other’s voice. A sharp pain from his finger alerted him to its presence. “Argh!” he yelled, kicking out at the offending rabbit. It scurried off, its white tail bobbing behind it. He glared at it menacingly. “And stay away!” he growled, pushing a thought from his mind. It was a memory of one of their first mock duels, where he had accidentally cut her finger. He had run over, showering the injury in kisses. He had no one now to do that for him. Instead, he watched a single drop of blood trickle down his finger, falling onto the grass below. “Steve!“ The voice shocked him out of silence. “A-Alex?” he stuttered, turning to face the direction the voice had come from. “Alex, is that you?” He closed his eyes, waiting for her to leap out of the bushes. He would tell her how sorry he was, and she would forgive him, and everything would be the same. Think it’s over with each noise. After a few moments of stillness, he opened his eyes. “Alex?” he called, the exhilaration he’d harboured seconds before drained from his voice. His eyes were drawn to a rustling bush. He leapt over to it, pushing the leaves aside, knowing that he would see her happy face smiling up at him- “Ow!” he yelled, drawing his head back. Reaching to touch his nose, he drew his fingers away wet with blood. “What kind of monster are you?” he shouted, staring into the eyes of the rabbit he had yelled at only minutes ago. It gave him a look of what he could only assume was pity, and hopped away. He collapsed on the ground and sobbed, screaming to the sky for forgiveness. song written and created by CrescereWolfe. All rights reserved.